Fantasy Football Impact Of J.K. Dobbins' Return To The Denver Broncos Backfield
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The Denver Broncos have kicked off a busy offseason with a plethora of moves, looking to avenge their AFC Championship loss in 2026. The team is working to retain several of its key contributors, and has already struck a deal with one of the team’s biggest stars.
Earlier this week, Denver re-signed star running back J.K. Dobbins to a two-year deal, pairing him up with RJ Harvey for the foreseeable future. Dobbins emerged as one of the top backs in the NFL last season, prior to a season-ending ligament tear in his foot in Week 10, which kept him sidelined for the team’s final seven regular-season games and two playoff contests.
🧡 #Home pic.twitter.com/OtJVOG7wRE
— Jk dobbins (@Jkdobbins22) March 9, 2026
In just 10 games, Dobbins racked up 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns over 153 carries. His 77.2 rushing yards per game ranked sixth in the entire NFL, while his 5.0 yards per carry checked in at No. 8 among eligible rushers.
Dobbins will return to Denver in 2026 after inking a two-year deal worth $16 million, with $8 million fully guaranteed. His deal can reach up to $20 million with incentives, including a bonus for eclipsing the 1,200-yard mark. Dobbins will return to a talented Broncos offense next season, as the team looks to replicate similar success from its 14-3 campaign in 2025. Let’s look at the fantasy football impact of Dobbins’ new contract heading into the new league year:
What J.K. Dobbins’ Contract Means For Broncos Backfield In Fantasy Football
With Dobbins slated to return to Denver’s backfield in 2026, star running back RJ Harvey will return to his RB2 role in Sean Payton’s offense. Harvey’s production during his rookie campaign led some to believe the team could part ways with Dobbins, though the team will roll out its talented backfield tandem again this season.
Last year’s No. 60 overall pick showed tremendous flashes of potential in his rookie season, suiting up in all 17 games while carving out six starts. He racked up 540 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground over 146 carries and displayed tremendous pass-catching upside out of the backfield. In the passing game, Harvey added 47 catches for 356 yards and five touchdowns. He finished his rookie season ranked as RB20 among PPR leagues in fantasy, emerging as one of the top sleepers in the league.
On the other hand, Dobbins closed the year ranked as RB43 in limited time, but consistently produced for fantasy managers prior to his injury. His 11.6 PPR points per week ranked 27th among all running backs last season.
Deeper in the depth chart, 26-year-old running back Tyler Badie is set to return to the team on a one-year tender worth just under $1.1 million. Badie racked up just 23 rushing yards over eight carries a season ago, but was valuable in the passing game, catching 19 passes for 141 yards out of the backfield. The trio of Dobbins, Harvey and Badie is expected to enter the 2026 season in that order on Denver’s depth chart, though the team has reportedly expressed interest in a potential reunion with veteran back Jaleel McLaughlin.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.